I rode on the Amtrak/VIA Maple Leaf train to Toronto and back after a 16 year hiatus of riding on trains and of course listening to train operations on my trusty VHF/UHF Scanner.

I have a whole list of observations here:

1) Why are some of the detectors on the CSX tracks saying "Conrail" but the others say "CSX"? Has someone not got the memo that Conrail is like dead?

2) There's like one detector I think near Lyons, NY that is malfunctioning because the dispatcher came on and told the train engineer to "ignore that" when the detector annouced itself. It repored a weird speed and axle count of like 99 or something

3) I know when the train enters Canada, VIA Rail operates the train in the passenger cars, but does the Engineer also change to the VIA employed one?

4) I think its funny that customs gets on the trains and processes you.

Thants the ones I can remember...any ideas?

i know the old NYC sub near here in montreal has a lot of equipment that is still maintained by guys in blue conrail trucks and the like, i guess its just equipment that will be replaced through attrician

Conrail's dead, sure, but all the rail guys refer to conrail-laid tracks as conrail out of habit.

just like pa lot of people at conrail reffered to areas a PRR and NYC, CSX had the same thing in the chessie days some locos were painted as chessie with B&O and C&O painted on the cabs

Posted by el nerdo Conrail's dead, sure, but all the rail guys refer to conrail-laid tracks as conrail out of habit.

True...but its funny is the first/last 5 dectectors on the CSX line near the Whirpool Bridge say "CSX" then the next 2 say "Conrail" then they say "CSX again after that.

I live near a yard, where would I get a VHF/UHF scanner for the rail yard radios? Im intrigued about this

Posted by Jesus Jones I live near a yard, where would I get a VHF/UHF scanner for the rail yard radios? Im intrigued about this

Look in pawn shops, e-bay, radio sites. Cheap radio shack style ones are hard to find now, and nobody but me would spent 600$ on an all mode, all band portable receiver.
You only need a vhf scanner, but most you will see have both vhf/uhf anyway. The freq,s are all 159.800- 161.500 mhz. ,I can get you specific "channels" on request, (i.e private message) just ask me. hell, ask me anything about radio! Be safe on those lines!

Posted by Dan Ya'll Look in pawn shops, e-bay, radio sites. Cheap radio shack style ones are hard to find now, and nobody but me would spent 600$ on an all mode, all band portable receiver. You only need a vhf scanner, but most you will see have both vhf/uhf anyway. The freq,s are all 159.800- 161.500 mhz. ,I can get you specific "channels" on request, (i.e private message) just ask me. hell, ask me anything about radio! Be safe on those lines!

Ha, I got a vintage Radio Shack Pro-38 from a community garage sale for $30.

Posted by Agent Skelly Ha, I got a vintage Radio Shack Pro-38 from a community garage sale for $30.

Yah, that's about what they go for. i have a ham friend who collects old stuff like that, and has that one, looks like an old tv remote

I think I found out why maybe there's a service crew change in Niagara Falls, ON.

I was told by a local railfan that since that train departs from New York City-Penn Station at 7:15 AM, by the time it reaches Niagara Falls, ON the crew has been on the job for about 9 hours, therefore to keep the staff awake and what not, they let a VIA service crew take over.

That would make sence, an 9 hour shift would be enough for me

Posted by gtbikes51 That would make sence, an 9 hour shift would be enough for me

I could work up to 12 hours myself...done it before and well I was fine after I had a late dinner

Got some more information....the railfan I talked to says he thinks that actually Conrail Shared Assets owns the detector and possibly that track, but he's not 100% sure.

Posted by Agent Skelly: the railfan I talked to says he thinks that actually Conrail Shared Assets owns the detector and possibly that track, but he's not 100% sure.

True in parts of North Jersey, Philadelphia-South Jersey, and Detroit-Toledo, but not on the route of the Maple Leaf. Back to Plan B, someone didn't change the recording!

Bah, rumour has it that the Maple Leaf's days are numbered...

Also...

Check out Radio Shacks in the US for scanners. Canadian Radio Shacks (The Source) suck for scanners.

I picked up a great one, Radio Shack Pro 97, for under $150 USD on sale. Watch radioshack.com for sales on scanners and go and pick one up.

Posted by FireDragonLightning Bah, rumour has it that the Maple Leaf's days are numbered... Also... Check out Radio Shacks in the US for scanners. Canadian Radio Shacks (The Source) suck for scanners. I picked up a great one, Radio Shack Pro 97, for under $150 USD on sale. Watch radioshack.com for sales on scanners and go and pick one up.

for canucks who like radio shack radio shack (tandy corp) is opening stores in canada now, to compete with the source

for canucks who like radio shack radio shack (tandy corp) is opening stores in canada now, to compete with the source

w00t! Source sucks!

That it fucking does.

FPS Doug!